Tagged With Memories
by ATTHS
Summary: From another fanfic exchange, the prompt was given: While Scully cleans out Mulder's desk and finds Queequeg's rusted name tag, in the episode Alone, she reminisces about funny moments between her, the dog, and Mulder. Her memories then lead to discussions and possible plans for the future.


"_Agent Scully. This pregnancy leave - it's just a leave, right? I mean, you are coming back eventually?"_

Agent Doggett's words echoed in Scully's head, as she walked out of the basement office, and headed to the elevator. She smiled at him and walked away, but was it just a leave? Would she one day return to the job she had loved for the past eight years?

Without Mulder there, and the looming possibility that he might not even want to return, she did not know. Their partnership was what kept her coming into work. She liked working with Agent Doggett, but he was not Mulder, not by a long shot. She and Mulder had many things that needed to be discussed, returning to work being one of them, but their words seemed to keep getting caught up.

Shaking her head, she shifted the small box of items she took from their desk drawer to her other arm, sighing again as she pressed the button. Turning around, she thought of the thousands, if not millions, of times she walked down that hallway. Some days it had been with trepidation ... others with irritation, but mostly, her work on the X-Files and with Mulder, had filled her with curious and sometimes overwhelming elation.

Of course she knew she would need to take her maternity leave. Doing it though, physically walking out of the bureau with no determined time set to return, she felt as though she was deserting Agent Doggett and Mulder. Doggett directly, Mulder more indirectly.

The elevator announced its arrival, and she stepped inside. Turning around one again, she looked down the hall, until the doors closed, leaving her alone with only her blurry reflection. Sighing again, she pushed the button to the first floor and closed her eyes.

She kept them closed until the elevator stopped. Once it did, she exited and walked past fellow agents without a word. As she walked down the corridors and towards the exit, she kept her head down to avoid inquisition, but she could still feel eyes on her as she moved. Being a spectacle was something she had grown accustomed to over time, but in the past she always had Mulder at her side. Now, she felt alone. The threat of tears loomed, but she fought them back and pressed forward, not wanting to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

_Damn these pregnancy hormones,_ she thought, blinking her eyes rapidly, hoping to clear her vision. _Dana, you know damn well it's not just the hormones_. Sighing, she walked toward the next elevator that would take her to the parking garage, and out of the bureau.

"Agent Scully. Hello, it's nice to see you again, and in a better setting," said a kind voice beside her and she turned to find Agent Cole, a young woman she met a few weeks ago while in the bathroom, and they both laughed. "Oh dear, you're not leaving us, are you?" She asked as she glanced at the box in Scully's arm.

"Oh, yeah," Scully answered with a small smile. "Doctors orders. I have to take my maternity leave, so I cleared out a few things in the office. Not much though, it would appear." She laughed softly, and Agent Cole smiled at her.

"Just the essentials it would seem," Agent Cole said, glancing in the box. "Oh, did you have a dog? Or was it from a case? God, I'm so sorry. That's none of my business," she said, stepping back, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment at having been so bold.

"No, it's okay. It's really just odds and ends. Little things … I don't know," Scully said, with another small smile. "I did have a dog yes, many years ago. He was given to me by a man from a case Agent Mulder and I worked on, and I had him for a few months. He … died. I didn't even know the name tag was in the desk drawer." She glanced down at it in the box and smiled, thinking of that fluffy little dog. He had been a pest at times, barking at the oddest things, like leaves falling off the trees, but she did love having him around.

"Well, I apologize again for being nosy, but it comes with the job I suppose," Agent Cole said, clearing her throat, and crossing her arms. Scully laughed softly and nodded. "Agent Scully, I wish you luck with your new baby. I hope you are able to rest and relax while on maternity leave, and that goes double for after the baby is born."

"Thank you, Agent Cole," Scully said with a smile, as she briefly touched her forearm. "I truly hope that happens myself." Agent Cole smiled as she nodded and walked away. Scully sighed as she watched her leave as she continued on to the elevator and pushing the down button.

She stepped in and pushed the garage button, glancing down at Queequeg's tag, closing her eyes and sighing again. Memories were encased within the very walls of the building, and they were pushing to the forefront, begging to be remembered. She opened her eyes and shook her head as the elevator stopped and opened once more, allowing her to step out into the dark hue of the parking deck and walk silently to her car.

Setting the box in the backseat, her eyes fell onto the name tag once again. She picked it up, wanting to keep it close as she shut the door, and eased into the driver's seat. Taking a few deep breaths, she put her hand on her stomach and rubbed her ever growing bump.

Yes, it would continue to become harder to do certain tasks, and she understood her doctor wanting her to go on maternity leave … but it still felt as though she was giving up and leaving, possibly forever. Sighing, she looked again at Queequeg's name tag and smiled sadly.

Running her fingers over the letters on the tag, she remembered the look on the person's face who made the tag. He had asked for the spelling twice and she had fought against rolling her eyes. While the name tag was made, she took her time picking out the collar and leash, making sure it would be both functional and cute.

Sighing, she set the tag on the passenger seat and turned on the car. It was odd how something so small could suddenly bring up so many memories. Pulling out of the parking space and then the garage, she headed for home.

When she arrived, she brought the little box upstairs, and set it on the kitchen table. Mulder was coming over soon to take her to Lamaze class, and she wanted to shower and change ahead of time. She seemed to always be hot these days, and she wanted to smell like something other than their former basement office and sweat before Mulder showed up.

Even though she knew she did not have much time, the things she brought home were calling to her, each one holding a memory. Her eyes returned to the name tag again, and she smiled as she remembered her first night with her new little furry friend.

_Once they called in Mr. Bruckman's and Mrs. Lowe's deaths, they waited for the coroner to show up. Statements were given, the case was wrapped up, and they went back to the hotel, bringing the dog with them, much to Mulder's disapproval._

_"How can you take that dog home, Scully, considering what he did to his last owner?" Mulder asked, staring at the dog on the backseat and shaking his head. "Do you really want to live in the same house with something that might eat you in your sleep?"_

_"Mulder, stop," she said, getting out of the car and opening up the back door to get the dog. Holding him in her arms, she stared at him. "He was alone with a woman who died, and he had no access to food. I know it's not ideal and it was not something I enjoyed seeing, but he's all alone and … I don't know, I feel like I owe it to Mr. Bruckman." She shrugged her shoulders and sighed, glancing at Mulder. The dog barked at him, as if reiterating what she was saying._

_"Well, feed him before bedtime I guess, and make sure your bedroom door is shut at night," he shrugged, clearly not agreeing with her decision. She nodded and turned to go into her motel room._

_"Scully!" he shouted. "What are you planning to feed him tonight?"_

Scully shook her head, smiling as she remembered leaving the next day and bringing the dog home. He was very sweet, his coat soft and fluffy. Almost immediately he made himself at home, sleeping next to her at night, and always happy to see her when she came home.

He and Mulder seemed to tolerate one another, though not right away. Mulder was wary of him and always made sure to tell her so when he came over. He called him '_killer_,' even though it was not exactly accurate, and kept his eyes on him when he came to her apartment. She smiled as she remembered another interaction.

_After the case with Virgil Incanto, they came back to her apartment to finish up the paperwork. Scully offered a home cooked meal instead of takeaway, and Mulder happily accepted. Queequeg barked and jumped at their feet as soon as they walked in the door, and Mulder made his usual grumbles about the 'killer' living in her apartment. She rolled her eyes as they set down the files on the kitchen table._

_"What happens with this fleabag when you're at work? Does he pee wherever he wants?" Mulder asked, as he waved Queequeg away from him, growling softly at him under his breath._

_"Mulder, stop," she said, beginning to take items out of the fridge and cupboard, for a simple pasta dish. "There is a girl who lives here in the building, and I've arranged for her to take him out to do his business twice a day. If we're going to be out of town, my mother has agreed to watch him for me. So, just stop with your inane questions. As if I'd let him just pee anywhere." Rolling her eyes again, she took out a pot and filled it with water._

_"Hmmm," she heard him say, and she shook her head again._

_"You know, you could take him out for me while I get this food ready," she said, with a sideways glance at him, as she turned on the burner and set down the pot. "Maybe take him for a walk around the neighborhood? Cara's usually here about six and it's past that now, so I'm sure Queequeg would be happy to get out and sniff around."_

_"Scully, are you serious? You want me to take this fur ball out for a walk?" he asked her indignantly._

_"I'm making you dinner ..."_

_"Which you offered to do …"_

_"The least you could do is take him out to pee," she said, with her arms crossed. He stared at her and finally relented with a sigh. "Good, his leash is hanging on the chair." She turned around and busied herself with dinner, not looking back until she heard the door close._

_Smiling, she started making a cream sauce, letting it simmer as she cut up vegetables, and diced up chicken she had leftover from the previous night. The water soon boiled and she added the pasta, stirring it as it began to soften. She glanced at the clock, wondering how far Mulder walked to be gone for so long._

_Draining the pasta, she added all the ingredients, stirring them together. She took out two plates and filled two glasses with water. Putting the pot on a light simmer, she looked at the door as it opened, and Mulder walked in with Queequeg who whined when he saw her._

_"Geez, where did you go, Mulder? You've been gone a really long time," she said, bending down to take off the leash and give Queequeg a pat._

_"That monster you have decided to let into your home, bit me, Scully! He BIT me!" he exclaimed, as he walked over to the sink and turned on the water._

_"What? He bit you?" she asked, as she set the leash down and walked over to him. "What do you mean he bit you?" She looked at him and then down at his hand. Taking it from the water, she grabbed a towel and dried it, looking at it to see how badly he was bitten. "Where, Mulder? Show me."_

_"Right here, Scully, just look," he pointed down and she searched his hand and saw nothing. Turning his hand over, she examined it, once again finding not a scratch._

_"I don't see anything, Mulder."_

_"Right here, Scully," he said, pointing at a nonexistent mark on his hand._

_"I truly see nothing, but I'll get you a bandage if it makes me feel better," she patted his hand and turned to head to the bathroom._

_"Don't placate me, Scully. That little demon dog bit me."_

_She smiled as she walked to the bathroom and got a bandage from under the sink. Heading back into the kitchen, she opened it and took his hand once again, wrapping it where he implied._

_"There. All better," she said and he bent his fingers. "Why were your fingers by his mouth?" Looking up at him, he closed his eyes. "Mulder?"_

_"I … we were playing fetch," he sighed, opening his eyes to look at her. Slowly she grinned at him, as he shook his head, and pointed at Queequeg. "He wouldn't let go of the stick, no matter what I tried and when he finally did, I tried to pick it up and that little shit bit me." He pointed to his hand again, and she smiled wider._

_"You were playing fetch with him? Aw, Mulder, you DO like him. I knew you just needed to spend time with him to see how sweet he is. Look at him," she said, looking over at Queequeg as he sat watching them._

_"Scully, no. I don't like that biting ball of fur. I just thought if we were out, I might as well try to make him a real dog and not simply a four-legged puffball," he shook his head and scoffed._

_"You can say it all you want, but you played with him. You're warming to him," she said, patting him on the arm as she headed to the stove to turn off the burner and dish up their meal._

_"Never," she heard him mutter, and she smiled._

Laughing, she remembered how he moaned about that bite for two more days, finally agreeing that there had not been much of a bite. Though Mulder never really warmed to him, it was not always a bad relationship.

_Coming back from Seattle, after Amy Jacobs had been found and Lucy Householder had died, Mulder was quiet. He had been since going through Lucy's things in the halfway house. Cases such as those, a missing girl, were harder on him than others, and she knew him well enough to know he needed space to deal with his thoughts._

_Leaving the airport and walking to his car, he quietly asked her if she would like to grab a bite or maybe order in some food. Nodding, she put her bag in the car, and he followed suit._

_"I need to pick up Queequeg from my mom's place. We can swing by on the way," she said and he nodded slightly, no comments about her little dog this time._

_Not long after, they walked into her apartment and took off their coats. She called in their usual order to the Chinese restaurant they liked, and he sat on the couch, leaning his head back onto the cushions. Joining him on the couch after she hung up, she tried to talk about the case, but he shook his head and looked at her with sad eyes. They sat quietly for awhile until she excused herself to change her clothes, needing a moment to recenter._

_Coming back a few minutes later, she saw Queequeg on the couch, sitting beside Mulder, who was petting him slowly. Stunned, she stood frozen in place, not wanting to disturb this moment between them._

_Suddenly, she heard Mulder let out a sob, and she stopped breathing, her heart breaking. Queequeg moved closer until he was in Mulder's lap, whining softly as he lay there, almost as though he were crying with Mulder and sharing his pain._

_Blinking back tears, Scully watched them, as she heard Mulder cry quietly, while he continued to pet Queequeg. Breathing softly so as not to disturb them, Scully wiped her eyes, hoping this would help him, as simple as it was._

_The doorbell rang and she jumped, as did Mulder. Walking to the door, she heard him moving around and then the click of the bathroom door being shut. Paying for the food, she brought it in and set it on the table. Grabbing two plates, she began to fill them, setting Mulder's beside her. Taking a few small pieces of beef from her own plate, she bent down and gave them to Queequeg, petting him as she did._

_"Good boy, Queequeg," she whispered, as she fed him. He looked at her with his black beady eyes and she scratched under his chin. "You're a good boy." Petting him once more, she stood up and then sat down at the table, waiting for Mulder to join her._

Wiping her eyes, she shook her head. Mulder had been so upset by that case. It was a while before he spoke of it again, and then only briefly. Certain cases were harder on each of them, as was to be expected, but most important was their ability to refocus and move to the next case. Even if that case involved cockroaches and an exploding alternative fuel research facility.

Smiling, she closed her eyes, as the memory began to play like a film starting in her mind …

_"You know, I never thought I'd say this to you, Scully … but you smell bad," Mulder said, as he walked away, leaving her speechless._

_"Jackass," she whispered under breath, knowing full well she DID smell bad, but so did he. God, the stench was overpowering. She could not wait to shower._

_Catching up to him, he stood by his car and stared at her with a smile on his face. "I … uh … I still have my room at the motel. It's not a great place, but I can't imagine you want to drive home in your current state. I know I sure as shit don't," he grinned, and she rolled her eyes, smiling in spite of herself at his corny joke. "Anyway, we could head back there, shower, and then head home." She gave him a look and he blushed. "You know what I mean." He cleared his throat, and she nodded._

_Plans made, they each took off their coats, Scully coming through with a large plastic bag from her trunk. She tied it up, ready to take to the dry cleaners. They went back to the motel, and he offered the shower to her first. Grabbing her bag, she headed in and proceeded to wash herself -twice- until she felt clean. Dressing quickly, she put her clothes in the plastic bag the motel provided._

_He showered next and when he came out, he wore only a towel around his waist, his hair damp. She glanced at him and then turned her head as she brushed her hair, putting it into a small ponytail. He went back in the bathroom with his clothes in his hands. She shook her head, her body feeling flushed at the sight of his near naked body._

_Fifteen minutes later, they were packing up their cars, and he smiled at her. "So I'll see you Monday," he said, and she stared at him._

_"Isn't your place being fumigated? Ironically, it seems," she said and he laughed. "Where will go?"_

_"Ugh, not here now," he smiled. "I'll find a motel, it's just one more night. They said we could come back Sunday afternoon." He shrugged and made to get in the car._

_"Mulder," she paused, sure this would be a bad idea, but she did not really care. She had missed him, although she would not admit it to him. "Why don't you just stay at my place? The couch is pretty comfortable and it's silly to stay in a motel where there could be roaches when my place is roach free." She smiled, and he stared at her, his eyes roaming her face. She tilted her head as he nodded in agreement, both of them getting into their respective cars and heading to her place._

_She walked in her apartment with her bag and the sandwiches she had picked up on her way home. Mulder was grabbing some movies and would be joining her soon. Queequeg came running to her, barking and jumping up. She set the food down and put his leash on to take him out for a quick walk._

_Mulder arrived as she was walking back in and he grinned at her and growled at Queequeg. She smacked him and told him to behave. They came into the apartment, and she unclipped Queequeg, telling Mulder to drop off his bag of clothes by the washer and she would throw their disgusting things in together._

_As she filled the machine a few minutes later, the intimacy of their clothes washing together was not lost on her. She heard Mulder talking to Queequeg, telling him about his night, metal insects, and the people who died._

_"I don't like insects, they disgust me. Yeah, I know we need them, but at what cost? They nearly got me killed, but instead I ended up covered in shit. Literally. Absolutely disgusting." She chuckled softly as she closed the washer and walked into the living room._

_Mulder rented all three Back to the Future movies, and they sat down to watch them as they ate their sandwiches. After the first one, which took nearly three hours to finish as they paused it quite a bit to discuss the many plot lines, and what they would do in Marty's place, she got up to put their clothes in the dryer._

_As she walked out of the living room, he called Queequeg to him. She turned to him with a questioning look, and he shrugged. "I'll take him out. Least I can do for all your help yesterday and today. I just won't play fetch with him this time in order to keep away from the danger zone." She laughed and nodded._

_"Well, keep an eye out for deer, especially baby ones," she teased, and he looked confused. She raised her eyebrow, and he smiled as he realized what she meant. Or WHO, for that matter. He grabbed the leash and headed out the door, causing her to smile as she went to finish the laundry._

Laughing, Scully shook her head, knowing that the camaraderie between the two of them did not last. It had been nice, but with the sweet comes the sour, and one last indiscretion pushed Queequeg onto Mulder's bad list.

_Scully sat on the couch reading a book, with Queequeg snuggled beside her. She was having a hard time concentrating, her mind on Skinner and the hell he had been through in the past few days. A dead prostitute in his bed, losing his job, his wife dying …_

_She shook her head, attempting to read the book once again, when she heard a knock at the door. Queequeg jumped down and barked as he ran to the door, spinning in a circle when he got there. She smiled at him, as he looked looking out the peephole to find Mulder standing there. Opening the door, she stared at him, his countenance defeated._

_"You want a beer? Or something stronger?" she asked, opening the door and allowing him to step inside. He sighed as he shrugged out of his jacket and laid it on the back of the couch._

_"A beer would be great," he said, taking off his shoes and sitting at the kitchen table. "Jesus, Scully …" He put his face in his hands, and she touched his back as she walked past him, wordlessly telling him she understood._

_Taking out and opening a beer for each of them, she came and sat opposite him, handing him his beer. He nodded his thanks and took a long pull from the bottle. Shaking his head as he swallowed, he looked up at her._

_"I know," she said, and took a drink of her own beer. They sat quietly for a bit and then he sighed again._

_"I wish Skinner would talk to us, tell us how he knew to be at the hotel. That man could have killed you, Scully. I wouldn't have made it in time to help you," he shook his head again and rubbed hard at his mouth. "You could've been …" He looked down, and she touched his hand._

_"But I wasn't," she said softly, and he nodded. "I don't think we'll ever hear it directly from him, but something must have led him there." Mulder raised his head and looked at her, surprise in his eyes._

_"Scully …" he said unbelievably, a smile creeping onto his lips._

_"I like to keep you on your toes," she said as she winked at him and took a drink of her beer. He laughed softly and nodded his head again._

_They finished their beers in comfortable silence, and then he patted her arm as he stood up and stretched. "Thank you," he said quietly, and she murmured in the affirmative. He walked toward the couch, to put on his shoes, when he shouted and made her jump._

_"Scully! He PEED on my shoes!" he pointed at Queequeg, dropping his shoe on the floor. "Are you fucking kidding me dog?! Oh my God!" He walked past her as he went to the kitchen sink to wash his hands, and she went to check on his shoes._

_Sure enough, there was a small puddle of pee on the floor and on Mulder's running shoes. Torn between laughing and being horrified, she stood up to grab the paper towels and a plastic bag to put his shoes on before she washed them._

_"PEED on my shoes! Jesus Christ …" he looked at her in horrified shock, and she could not stop the smile on her face. "Oh, this is funny to you?"_

_"No, of course not. I'm exceedingly sorry, but it's just … it's pee," she choked back a laugh as he shook his head, reaching for the dish towel to dry his hands. "I'll wash your shoes, and they will be good as new."_

_"Ha!" he shouted and glared at Queequeg as he walked into the kitchen. "They will never be like new, Scully. I don't understand this dog. Sometimes he and I seem to be fine and then he pisses on my shoes. What the hell?" He threw the dish towel down and shook his head._

_"I'm sorry, Mulder," she said through a smile. "I am truly sorry. He's a dog and honestly you could be nicer to him and then these things wouldn't happen." He stared at her incredulously, his mouth actually dropping open. Grabbing the paper towels and the plastic bag, she stepped past him and went over to clean the mess._

_"You jest, Scully, you make fun, but that dog is a pest. I've tried to be nice to him, I have, but …" he sighed. "I don't think it's possible at this point. I'll need to drive home in my socks now. That's fantastic," he huffed._

_"You could take them off and go completely bare footed," she replied sarcastically, causing him to huff again as she put the shoes on the plastic bag and wiped up the pee. Looking up at him as she finished, he shook his head. She smiled as she stood up, the dirty paper towels in her hand, and walked to the trash, threw them away, and washed her hands._

_"I will wash your shoes and they will be fine. I'm sorry my dog decided to pee on them," she smiled, as she dried her hands, and he rolled his eyes._

_"You sound real sorry," he said, walking to the couch and grabbing his jacket. He slipped it on and looked down at his feet with a sigh._

_"I'd offer you the use of a pair of mine, but …" she shrugged and he finally smiled a little as looked up at her. Shaking his head once again, he glared at Queequeg, and opened the front door, his shoeless feet making no sound._

_"Until we meet again furball. I won't forget this," Mulder warned as he pointed at Queequeg. He barked at him, and Mulder growled, stepping through the doorway and closing the door behind him._

_Queequeg whined and headed to the door, sniffing at the ground where Mulder had been standing. "Buddy, he's not going anywhere, you need to learn to like him," Scully said, picking up Mulder's shoes and taking them to the washing machine, Queequeg whining behind her._

Scully closed her eyes as she realized that was the last time they were all together. Before the incident with the alligator, and Queequeg …

_Packing up and loading the car the next morning, she was quiet. The thought that her sweet little dog was eaten by an alligator made her feel sick to her stomach. She had been right there and yet, she was unable to help him. Sighing, she closed the trunk and looked at the backseat as she walked past it, shaking her head as she sat down in the front seat and put on her seatbelt._

_"So, uh, how about we stop at the little store for some snacks before we head out?" Mulder asked quietly, as he put on his own seatbelt. She nodded and looked out the window as they drove away from the Lake View Cabins._

_Ted was obviously not in the shop, but someone else, a relative of his, stepping in to help after his uncle died. Drinks and snacks purchased, they walked back to the car as the rain started to fall. A man ran past them trying to avoid the rain and nearly ran Scully over._

_"Sorry about that!" he said, as she sidestepped him and nodded with a roll of her eyes. He went inside the store, and she continued to the car, following after Mulder._

_Buckled in again, they drove down the road, the signs for Big Blue telling them to hurry back and uncover the mystery of the lake. Scully scoffed and reached into her pocket, feeling the name tag held within. Her thumb ran over the letters of the name she had so carefully chosen. Taking it out of her pocket she looked at it, shaking her head._

_"I'm sorry about Queequeg," Mulder said for the second time, and this time she heard a different tone in his voice. Last night, he helped her call and search for Queequeg, until they headed dejectedly back to his cabin. Today he seemed to feel more remorse over the death of her little dog. "If I hadn't decided to check out this case …"_

_"It's not your fault, Mulder," she sighed, putting the name tag back in her pocket. "If we hadn't come down, more people might have died."_

_"Still," he said, glancing at her._

_"Still," she echoed and turned toward the window, closing her eyes._

Scully sighed, that memory causing her eyes to fill with tears. "What a horrible way to die …" she breathed, looking at the name tag one last time as she put it back in the box, wiping at her eyes.

Every other little item was added to the box, as she glanced up at the clock. Mulder would be there soon. She needed to hurry and jump in the shower and change her clothes. Wiping her eyes again, she gave a little shake and headed to the bathroom.

Maybe one day she would have another dog. Maybe a house somewhere out of the city. That would be nice. She turned the water on, letting it warm up, thinking about possibly living someplace like that with Mulder. Did he want that? To live in a small town like he said he would like to years ago? Some quiet place, like Home, to settle down and raise a family? It _had_ been nice there …

_Well, aside from the incest, murder, and infanticide, of course_, she thought with a shudder.

Undressing and stepping in the shower, she smiled, imagining them out in the country with a dog and a baby toddling around, as Mulder sat on the porch, throwing a ball for the dog and swinging their baby up in his arms.

"How does that sound, little one? You want your daddy to get you a dog someday?" she asked, as she rubbed her belly and smiled, keeping that fantasy in her head while she finished washing and dressing.

As she waited for Mulder, she looked in the box again and picked up the coins that were fused together. They were one of the many mysteries held within the office. She had often taken the coins out of the drawer, wondering where they had come from, but knew it was a question that would never be answered. Holding them in her hand, was like holding a dream; something that seemed real, but could not possibly be, as she had no memory of it.

She sighed as she put the coins back in the box, thinking of how many things she would never have answered. Agent Doggett was now the one who would search for those answers, and he would do so alone. She knew she had to leave, but once again she felt she was abandoning him. He needed _someone_, just as Mulder had years ago, and she had this past year.

"We all need someone to help us," she said quietly, taking the box into her bedroom. She heard knocking as she walked back out and knew Mulder was on the other side. "Let's get this show on the road." She sighed and walked to the door.

* * *

"I can't believe you're being so stubborn," Mulder said teasingly, as they walked in the door of her apartment. "You know it was a spaceship we saw and you were _inside_ of, Scully. I _know_ you know it's the truth." She smiled and shook her head as she stepped into the kitchen and over to the fridge.

"I had been in … some kind of stasis, Mulder, my entire body was in a state of adrenaline driven shock. I don't remember much about that time, except being cold and thinking for sure we were going to die there," she said as she took out the lasagna her mother had sent over the other day. "You're staying, right?" She looked at him, and he nodded as he held her gaze, his eyes serious despite his earlier tone.

She walked over to grab the plates and he stopped her, taking them out himself, and setting them on the table. She smiled as he put his hand on her shoulder and gently guided her to the chair, taking over their meal preparation. Watching him, she imagined how this could be, having him there all the time, getting meals ready or just simply there.

"Water? Or do you have something else?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts. He was holding two glasses in his hands, waiting for her answer.

"There is tea, but whatever you feel like having is fine," she said, shrugging her shoulders and smiling. He stared at her and walked toward the fridge, opening it, taking out the tea and filling their glasses. Setting them down, he slid one over to her and put the tea back.

The food was warmed up and he brought the plates over to the table, handing hers over first. Taking a large bite, he moaned. "God, your mom makes the _best_ lasagna," he said, his mouth extremely full. He shook his head, and she smiled, taking a bite of her own food.

Dinner finished, he motioned for her to sit on the couch. He reached for her plate but she stopped him, causing him to look at her. She smiled, and he leaned forward, kissing her softly on the lips. He pulled back and stared at her.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"Hey," he answered softly, his eyes moving across her face.

"You're staying, right?" she asked him again, the meaning different this time, and he grinned as he nodded. "Good, I'll go sit and wait for my foot rub." He laughed as she walked away and sat on the couch, putting her feet on the coffee table.

A few minutes later he joined her and reached for her feet, putting them in his lap as she shifted her body on the couch. She sighed and closed her eyes as he rubbed her feet. Her hands were on her stomach, feeling the baby moving slightly. She smiled, the image of Mulder on a porch with a dog and the baby, still sitting in her thoughts.

"Whatcha thinking about, Scully?" he asked quietly and curiously. She opened her eyes and stared at him, the smile still on her face. She shrugged, and he tilted his head. "Do I need to guess? Need I remind you that I hold a lot of power here." He tickled the bottoms of her feet and she gasped, trying to pull them back.

"Okay, I'll tell you. Don't try to make a _very_ pregnant woman laugh, Mulder, it wouldn't be pretty. I might have to throw out the couch," she warned, putting her feet back in his lap. He laughed and resumed his task, watching and waiting for her to speak.

Her heart began to pound as she thought of how to ask him what she had been thinking. They had not discussed … well a lot of things since he came back.

"Are you ready to admit you _did_ see the spaceship?" he asked with his eyebrows up, as his thumbs hit a particularly tender spot. She moaned as her head dropped back and her eyes closed. "It's okay to admit you were wrong, Scully, I won't hold it against you." Her head snapped up and she looked at him as he smiled. She shook her head and he grinned wider. "Well, I'll be waiting, when you finally come to your senses."

She smirked and he nodded, but he broke the tension, and for that she was immensely grateful. He kept his eyes on her, and she sighed. "Do you still think of leaving the city someday and moving out to the country? Well, as much as one can these days, I suppose," she smiled, but she was nervously awaiting his answer. He paused in his work and stared at her, his expression unreadable. Her mouth went dry as she waited for him to speak.

"Are you asking me to move out into the country with you, Scully?" he teased as she tried to pull her feet away again, but he held them tight, staring at her. "You were worried about leaving Agent Doggett a few days ago and now you're ready to pack it up and head for the hills?" He stared at her, and she took a deep breath, his eyes seeming to see into her soul.

"I've thought about it, Scully. Being unemployed and all, I've had time to think about a lot of stuff. A lot, a _lot_," he smiled and she waited. "Is … is that something _you_ would want?" She looked at him and gave him a minuscule smile, to which he tilted his head in question.

"I … I hadn't really thought about it. But then I was packing up some things from the desk drawer the other day and I found Queequeg's name tag," she said pointedly, and he dropped his head and nodded. "You kept it all this time and I didn't know. You loved him after all, huh?"

"_That_ furball? The dog who had the smelliest gas I have ever smelled, in my entire life? Who _peed on my shoes_? _That_ dog?" he asked her in astonishment, his head snapping up and his hands once again pausing in their movements. "Scully, seriously ..."

"Then why did you keep his name tag in your desk drawer?" she asked, her eyebrow arched as she nudged his hand with her foot. He sighed as he began to move his hands again, and she waited for him to answer.

"It was … evidence, at first. The alligator that everyone believed to be Big Blue-"

"Everyone?" she cut in, a smile teasing at her lips.

"Most of the people then, happy?" he asked with a smile, and she shrugged noncommittally. "Anyway, it was evidence, and … I didn't want it to end up in a file somewhere in the chaos of our office, so …"

"It ended up in a drawer instead?"

"Something like that, yeah," he smiled again, and she nodded as she rolled her eyes with a smile. "How does finding his name tag have anything to do with moving out to the country?"

"I suppose it doesn't, not directly anyway," she sighed. "I … I was just thinking how nice it was to have a dog. To know he was here or that my mom had him at her place, and that I would be able to pick him up later. He was always happy to see me. It was nice … and made it seem less lonely here, you know?"

"Well, if you're worried about being lonely, I don't think you'll be hurting for company for _a while_, Scully," he said, pointing to her stomach, and she smiled, rubbing her hand across it.

"No, I suppose I won't," she murmured as she looked down.

"You still didn't answer my question," he said quietly, and she looked up into his eyes. He raised his eyebrows, and she smiled softly.

"We haven't talked about … a lot of things. About the future, about … about a lot, Mulder," she said with a shrug, looking down, feeling nervous again. "I don't know. I was … there are … I …"

"The answer is yes," he said quietly, and she looked up quickly. "Yes, I've thought of moving away from the city. And … well, if you want a dog, we'll get a dog." He grinned, and she smiled slowly, wiggling her feet against his hands. He winked and moved her feet from his lap. "But _I_ get to name it." She shook her head, her smile still in place as he stood up, walking close to her, and bending down for a kiss.

She pulled at his shirt and held it tightly in her hands, keeping him close to her as she deepened the kiss. He hummed as her tongue slid into his mouth and began exploring. She felt his hand grasp the end of the couch and his other pushing the cushions down as he fell deeper into her embrace, before he suddenly pulled back.

Staring into her eyes, he shook his head, his breathing erratic. Her hands still held fistfuls of his shirt and she pulled again, bringing him down for another kiss, this one softer, but still making her pulse race.

He moved his lips to her cheek and then her temple, pushing back as she let go of shirt, smiling at the wrinkles she put there, showing how much she had wanted him.

"Scully," he whispered, smiling down at her. He shook his head and walked into the kitchen. She smiled as she heard him washing his hands and filling the teapot. Closing her eyes, she heard him moving around, opening cupboards and drawers, humming as he did.

Taking a deep breath, she thought of that house in the country, away from the bustle of the city, where they could be happy and together. She pictured a house with an old feel to it, maybe someplace with a porch swing. She smiled as she thought of being there with him, the baby, and a dog, as the sun set, filling the sky with oranges and pinks.

"Your tea, Miss Scully," she heard Mulder say and she opened her eyes. He held a mug in his hands and bowed his head. She laughed softly and took it from him. He winked as he walked into the kitchen to grab his own mug.

When he sat down, she laid her feet in his lap again, and he grinned. They were quiet as they drank their tea, but the thought of them in that house would not leave her mind. Looking at him, she knew she wanted to sit next to him on a couch forever. Any couch, as long as he was beside her.

They finished their tea and he helped her to her feet, waiting until she had her balance before stepping away. She nodded her thanks as she went to use the bathroom. He came in a few minutes later and did the same, causing her to smile at the familiarity they shared as she brushed her teeth.

Pajamas on and her body situated in a relatively comfortable position, she sighed contentedly as she lay in bed. Mulder lay down beside her and moved closer to hold her, not seeming to mind the pillow wedged between her legs to keep the pressure off her hips and lower back.

"You know, they used to be a lot sexier, these sleepovers of ours. I remember little sexy numbers, not one of my old Knicks shirts," he said, as he moved around her, letting her adjust as she wanted. She chuckled and put his hand on her belly.

"Those little sexy numbers are what got us here," she teased, and he laughed, his hand rubbing her stomach.

"Worth every penny then," he whispered, and she nodded. "I mean they were then too because, _God_, they were mmmm." She laughed as he kissed her forehead, and she closed her eyes, suddenly extremely tired.

"One day, the sexy numbers will make a reappearance, Mulder. I promise," she yawned and snuggled closer to him, dreaming of that house, the dog, and a little baby with Mulder's hazel eyes.

* * *

_Heuvelmans Lake, Georgia_

_April 1996_

_"Sorry about that!" he said to the redheaded woman as he was hurrying too quickly into the store, not watching where he was going. He saw her roll her eyes and he felt bad, he truly was sorry, but he needed to get inside the store._

_"Can I help you?" the guy inside asked him, and he walked over to the counter._

_"Yeah, actually you can. I found a dog out in the woods early this morning. He was bleeding and really muddy, but seems to be okay, aside from being pretty shaken up. I think he may have tussled with that alligator that was caught yesterday. I don't know how he got away, but he obviously did, and now I'm looking for his owner. Have you happened to hear of anyone who has lost their dog?"_

_"Nah, man, I'm sorry, I haven't," the shopkeeper said, shaking his head._

_"Damn, that's what I thought. Well, I have some flyers with my name and number on them. Could I leave a few here?" he asked and was told he could. Leaving the flyers and grabbing some dog food, he headed back to his house to check on the dog._

_Days went by and he figured he had acquired a fluffy little dog, when the phone rang. The woman on the other end explained that it was not her dog, but her six-year-old daughter, who just learned to read, saw his sign and asked after the dog._

_"Come on over, he's still here," he told her happily and hung up, looking over at the dog, whom he had taken to calling Gator Bait. "Best behavior now, Gator. No peeing on anything, understand?"_

_The woman arrived at the house, her daughter in tow, her top teeth missing and red hair in two long ponytails. Inviting them in, Gator immediately ran over to the little girl, barking excitedly, jumping around her in a circle. She giggled and bent down to pet him, and he licked her on the nose._

_Within minutes, it was easy to see Gator would be going home with them. The little girl would not leave his side, and he seemed infatuated with her, barking and pawing at her. It was the most animated he had been since the man found him in the woods._

_Handing over the leash he bought, the little girl sat down, carefully and slowly clipping it to his collar, while Gator sat stock still and waited, much to the man's utter shock. She stood up and grinned at the man, her blue eyes shining as she ran to the door, Gator barking excitedly beside her._

_"Be careful, honey," her mother called, and Gator barked again._

_"I will, Mom!" she said, opening the door and running outside._

_The man stood on his small porch, watching them drive away, waving to the little girl as she looked back at him, grinning from ear to ear. Heading back inside, it was strange how it immediately felt lonely without Gator around, but he knew he would be happier with them. He smiled and sat down on the couch, remembering the way they were drawn to each other, as if it were meant to be._

_"Well, one things for certain," he laughed, shaking his head. "At least he'll soon have a better name than Gator. I mean really, no name could be stranger than that."_


End file.
